Travelers and Wanderers around the Universe

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

As part of our exploration in Busch Gardens, Germany was the next stop. We want to visit Europe and Germany is one of the many places we want to see but we can't afford it yet so Busch Gardens is the closest that we did for now. Even just roaming around on the Germany part of the park was quite entertaining.

The kids wanted to try the Curse of the Dark Kastle so we went in. We fell in line but unfortunately we were not admitted because the kids did not meet the height requirement.

It would have been nice to experience deep in the snow covered hills of Bavaria stands a foreboding castle frozen under the spell of a centuries-old curse. In a way, I was relieved that we werent admitted because even though the ride begins as an enchanted sleigh ride, it ends in a bone-chilling chase packed with dizzying drops, surprise twists, and such sensational 3-D visuals. I would have peed myself hahaha.

However, we enjoyed the mist outside and since it was getting so hot, we stayed under the mist for a while.

I think that the festhaus is the room tucked inside Das Festhaus’s main hall that holds a beer-enthusiast’s paradise. There are samples of hand-crafted brews from around the world, with 30 rotating craft beers on draft, including seasonal varieties. We didn't but it's worth taking a picture lol.

To relieve the disaapointment at DarKastle attraction, my son rode the karousel while we sit for a while waiting for him.

The problem with going to a huge park like this in a very hot weather is, it makes you tired really fast.

We wanted to ride the train so that we could relax and take a break from walking a little bit but the employees told us that it would be late since they have a mechanical problem, sigh. So we walked around a little bit and then came back afterwards.

The Busch Gardens Railway is a 20 minute trip around the park riding the three steam-powered locomotives whisk guests through 100 acres of lush landscaping with stops in Scotland, Festa Italia and New France for a breathtaking tour of the park.

It was a fresh breath of air. We got to look around the parts of the park that we would have not seen by walking.

By the looks of the display at the entrance of Pompeii attraction, I got the impression that it would be a wild ride so I immediately declined from going. My son stayed with me and later on, my husband came back and did not go either because he didn't want to get wet. My daughter was old enough to go alone although I was worried, my husband said to give her a little freedom so we let her go alone.

Pompeii attraction is an adventurous journey through the ancient ruins of Pompeii. As history has it, even the mighty Roman Empire had been no match for Mt. Vesuvius, which draped Pompeii with a blanket of lava and ash, erasing it from the map for nearly 1,700 years.

My daughter said that the ride would certainly require you to hold on tight as a leisurely boat ride through the ruins of this great city suddenly turns explosive.

One rumble from the mighty mountain and the race to escape from Pompeii is on.

After this attraction, we decided to call it a day. We were all exhausted not because we walk a lot but because it was so hot that day. Our time there was when Virginia was having the heat wave so it wasn't that enjoyable to really be out in the sun all day. We did however had some fun time while out there.

Friday, December 23, 2016

For a lot of parents, beach breaks are the preferred option for family vacations. This is because beach breaks are a lot of fun and aren’t too expensive - once you’ve paid for your accommodation and flights, there’s little else to pay for. The problem is that most sights and attractions in destinations that are popular with tourists are incredibly expensive, and when you’re traveling as a family, you have a budget to stick to. Or, at least, most families do, anyhow.

The great thing about beach breaks is that you don’t need to budget for sights and attractions, as the beach is where you will be spending the majority of your time. Of course, if you spend your entire break doing the same things day in, day out - swimming, sunbathing, and building sand castles - the chances are that your little ones will start to get bored. So it’s important to find ways to make the most of your time in the sun, and ensure that your beach break is everything that you dreamed it would be.

With that in mind, below are some ideas for ensuring that your next beach break is memorable for all the right reasons.

Choose a destination that offers activities

To ensure that while you’re away, the whole family has a good time, look for a beach destination that has plenty on offer in terms of activities. You should be able to find plenty of places that have beaches that offer a range of activities, from pedalo hire to banana boating. Take the time to read up on each destination, to see whether what it offers is suitable for you and your children. Look for beaches that offer family activities, such as Paddle Boarding, for example - to learn more about this sport read up online via sites like Paddleboard Thrills. Surfing is another activity that could be perfect for the whole family, as could kitesurfing, so look for destinations that offer these types of activities.

Have a sandcastle competition

Instead of just letting your little ones build sandcastles, why not make castle building a family affair? For one day while you are on vacation, plan to have a sandcastle building competition. Split off into teams and spend some time building sand castles with your children. Then, once you’ve completed them, ask another beachgoer to judge them and pick a winner. It doesn’t have to be just a basic sandcastle, you can build anything, so make sure to get creative.

Pack beach toys for the kids

For those times when you want to sit back and relax in the sun, it’s worth packing some beach toys for your little ones. That way you can sunbathe while your little ones play in the sand. Pack little toys that are sure to keep them occupied for hours, from beach balls and buckets and spades to blow up toys; there are plenty of things that you can pack to keep your little ones busy on the beach.

There you have it, a guide to how you can make the most of your time in the sun.

Wednesday, December 21, 2016

On Sunday, we went to Serra Manor to deliver the mails that the former owner of this house have received in this address. Unfortunately he wasn't there so we just gave it to the employees. On our way out, an old lady talked to me so I stayed a little while. Then when we left, we proceeded to visit my father-in-law who is staying at Gables Care Center in Hopedale Ohio. It would be nice if Dad can stay at Serra Manor, it would be closer and we can visit him more often. Unfortunately, they are always full and we are still waiting for some vacancy for him.

We were glad that he's awake when we arrived. For a couple of times that we visited, he was sound asleep so we were not able to talk to him. He was actually at the church inside the Gables facility when we arrived. The nurse got him so we could visit.

My husband pushed the wheelchair so we can walk around with him. We stopped at the entrance where there is a piano. The kids wanted to play piano for him. It was festive there so I took lots of photos.

I can tell that Dad doesn't really know who we were. We talked to him and he barely responded. It was nice seeing him though. We didn't see any bruises at all and he seem to gain a little weight while staying at Gables. When he stayed at one of the nearby facility here in our area, he always had bruises. We didn't have an evidence for maltreatment from the employees but my SIL believes that they were not very nice to Dad when he stayed there that's why the family decided to relocate him at Gables Care Center even though it was very far from here. He seem very happy there. All the nurses calls him Pap.

Alzheimer is a hard thing to go through. We miss Dad, we miss him when he can still recognize us and talk to us. We were watching old videos this morning and made us miss him even more.

O am glad that people at Gables Care Center really takes care of him.

I am not sure if he will ever have a vacancy here in the area but that's what I pray for so he could be close to us and we can visit him a lot more.

My daughter brought this nativity frame to put in Dad's end table. She made this in her art class last year.

We had a chance to take a family picture with him before we left. He was getting cold so we took him back to his room. Below are the videos of the songs they played for him.

We will try to go back there again before the year ends or on Christmas day. We will see how the weather will be like.

As the head of the household, you are used to making
difficult decisions. Deciding between how to turn a family vacation into a fun
experience and how to make it fit your budget is one of those tougher choices.
On the one hand, you want to make sure your kids are asking, “Are we there
yet?” for all the right reasons – in excitement over arriving at the
destination, not begging to finally be back home. You want your children to
love the experience so much that it becomes a cherished lifelong memory. On the
other hand, you want to make sure this trip does not break the bank, so that
your family can enjoy more trips in the future. Finding that balance requires a
bit of creativity, but you can enjoy family trips together without damaging
your budget.

To achieve that delicate balance of an amazing trip that
your kids will love forever, but that also respects your family’s budget, no
matter its size, you just need to get creative about how and where you spend your
money. If you take advantage of fantastic Internet-based coupons like what are
being offered by a new partnership between Hotels.com and
Groupon, you can definitely enjoy many more family trips in the future.

Taking a look at Hotels.com’s Groupon page, you will find
coupons not only for 10% off, but also for $50 off, 50% off, and even an entire
night free. Depending on your length of stay, you may want to utilize different
coupons. Of course, these coupon offerings do vary over time, so do not be
concerned if you do not see those coupons by the time you read this post.
However, Hotels.com and Groupon are constantly updating their offerings, so you
should definitely keep a close eye on the Hotels.com page when it comes time to
making hotel reservations for your trip, whether you are in the pre-trip
planning phase or the on-the-fly mode in the middle of your trip.

Keep taking your family out for vacations you all love,
without worry that you are breaking the bank. With a little creativity, you can
all enjoy these wonderful family memories.

Saturday, December 17, 2016

Busch Garden is a huge amusement park with lots of cool things to do and see. One of the many things we tried there is the Europe in the Air. We actually came early in the park so some of the attractions were still closed.

The kiddos wanted to check this Castle of Sullivan but it was still closed.

So we tried this high-tech simulator that takes you to on a fun-filled journey across the terrain, over the seas and through the air over Europe. This attraction reminds me of the one we did in Disney World years ago. Although the one in DW is a lot nicer, this one ain't bad.

The continent’s most recognizable landmarks are featured, like Stonehenge in England, the Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany and the Coliseum in Rome. The journey continues through the streets of Paris, along the Thames River and into the sky over Ireland for a view unlike any other. Call me lame but this kind of stuff still gets me dizzy, I dunno why. Below is a YouTube video. (video isn't mine)

What I enjoyed the most in walking around the Busch Garden was the beautiful landscape all through the park.

I forgot what ride is this but as usual, I did not go with them as it involved speed lol. I

The one that I went with them is this sky-high mode of transportation that provides guests with a 3 minute scenic tour. Passengers enjoy views of all six European countries while relaxing 80 feet in the air. The sky ride stops in England, France and Germany. Here are the routes. • England - arrival from Rhinefield departure for a one-way trip to Aquitaine• Aquitaine- Arrival from England, departure for one way trip to Rhinefield • Rhinefield- Arrival from Aquitaine, departure for a one way trip to England

It is so nice to look around with a refreshing ride atop the park.

Themepark wouldn't be complete without these two asking for dip and dots treat.

Busch Garden is nice and fun but I don't think I would go back again. I would rather see the historical places in Williamsburg next time.